David said to God, “LORD, show me when MY LIFE WILL END. Show me how many days I have left. Tell me how short my life will be. You have given me only a few days to live. My whole life doesn’t seem like anything to you. No man’s life lasts ANY LONGER THAN A BREATH. Selah People are only shadows as they go here and there. They rush around, but it doesn’t mean anything. They pile up wealth, but they don’t know who will get it. LORD, what can I look forward to now? YOU ARE THE ONLY HOPE I HAVE. SAVE ME from all the wrong things I’ve done…” (Psalms 39:4-8) “Teach us to realize HOW SHORT OUR LIVES ARE. Then our hearts will become wise.” (Psalms 90:12)
“ALL FLESH (our human body) is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but THE WORD OF THE LORD REMAINS FOREVER…” (1 Peter 1:24-25) By the way, this is why David says, “Your word I have HIDDEN IN MY HEART, That I might NOT SIN AGAINST YOU.” (Psalms 119:11) “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city. We will spend a year there. We will buy and sell and make money.” You DON’T EVEN KNOW what will happen tomorrow. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE (here on earth)? IT IS A VAPOR (atmis: a fog or mist) that appears for A LITTLE WHILE. Then IT DISAPPEARS. Instead, you should say, “If it pleases the Lord, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15)
David wrote the psalms about 3,000 years ago, the 23rd Psalms expresses his DEVOTION TO and TRUST IN the Lord,
- DAVID BEGINS BY ILLUSTRATING THE PROVISION OF THE LORD, both physical and spiritual. “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.” (Psalms 23:1-3)
- DAVID THEN DESCRIBES THE PROTECTION OF THE LORD, as he travels through dangerous places and in the presence of enemies. “Yea, though I WALK THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are WITH ME; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.” (Psalms 23:4-5)
FINALLY, DAVID DESCRIBES AN EXPRESSION OF HIS FAITH AND HOPE IN THE LORD’S PRESERVATION, that God will furnish the GOODNESS and MERCY needed throughout life, so that he made abide in the house of the Lord forever. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will DWELL in the house of the LORD FOREVER.” (Psalms 23:6)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham